Long-term visitor recalls early days in Thailand — kindness of locals turned a rough night into a cherished memory. PATTAYA, Thailand – The recent news about officials in Pattaya helping an intoxicated foreign visitor safely from the street back to a hotel struck a chord with a long-term visitor who has seen Thailand’s hospitality firsthand over decades. He recalls his own early travel experience in the 1980s when, as a young and inexperienced traveler, he arrived in Bangkok full of excitement but quickly found himself overwhelmed. On his very first night, he ended up in Soi Cowboy, where he drank too much and became incoherent, barely able to stand. Stranded but determined, he managed to tell some kind staff that he was staying at the Manhattan Hotel. The kindness he encountered next remains etched in his memory — the hotel arranged for a porter to come to his rescue and helped him back in a wheelchair. “This experience showed me something truly special,” he said. “Thai people, if treated with respect and kindness, are some of the most generous and caring people in the world. I say this having traveled across many continents and visited countless places.” Over the years, this visitor has returned many times to Thailand, spending happy times all over the country and embracing its culture and warmth. Now older and wiser, he looks forward to his next visit to Thailand this October for a full month — a testament to the lasting bond he feels with the country. Stories like his, and recent acts of compassion by officials in Pattaya, remind us that genuine hospitality is a powerful way to rebuild tourism. Small acts of kindness create big impressions, and that’s exactly what will bring travelers back — not just to Pattaya, but across all of Thailand. Earlier Report: https://www.pattayamail.com/news/one-way-to-bring-tourists-back-to-pattaya-officials-help-intoxicated-foreigner-from-street-to-hotel-safely-505144 (‘One way to bring tourists back to Pattaya’ – Officials help intoxicated foreigner from street to hotel safely)